Gemologist and the Gemstones

Gemologist is the one who is expert on identifying and classifying gemstones, and there are more than 4000 known species to date and this number is increasing each year but only a very small proportion of these minerals have the attributes which qualify them as gemstones: Beauty, Durability and Rarity!.

How could you even be good at it, --classifying gemstones Beauty, Durability and Rarity? It may require some gem training.

Here are some facts and information about Gemstones.

1. Beauty:

Beauty can be the result of various factors: Colour, Interesting internal or external characteristics, and fascinating or unusual reaction to light.

a. Colour. Gemstones occur in every colour known to man. They range from very light to very dark, from transparent to opaque, even some that are bi-coloured, tri-coloured or multi-coloured, the options are limitless.

b. Interesting internal or external features. Internal and external characteristics of natural gemstones, although similar amongst gems of the same type, will never occur in exactly the same way or the same place in any two gemstones. This makes each gem as unique and as individual as fingerprints. Even in their native form the appearance of some specimens can be truly spectacular.

c. Fascinating or unusual reaction to light. Due to their optical and physical properties (sometimes with or without man's intervention of cutting) gemstones can exhibit qualities unfound in other materials. These include dispersion or various phenomena in the form of change from one colour to another, the appearance of a "star" or a sheen of rainbow colours (these mentioned are just a few).

2. Durability:

With a reasonable amount of care gemstones can last, and have lasted, for centuries. Durability comprises three factors: Hardness, Toughness and Stability.

a. Hardness.

This is described as resistance to scratching, abrasion or denting. Hardness scales depend on the relative hardness of one stone in comparison to another. The most commonly known scale is called the Moh's scale which was devised by Friedrich Moh, a mineralogist. This testing is based on the scratching of minerals and those with a higher number on the scale are able to scratch those of a lower number. The Moh's scale is not linear e.g. the hardness gap between 9 and 10 is far greater than that between 1 and 9.

To understand this further a tool was devised called a Sclerometer which measures the precise pressure needed for scratching the various types of gems. Ten (10) examples were chosen to represent the numbers on the Moh's scale. (On this scale window glass has the hardness of 5½; a copper coin has a hardness of 3½; and a fingernail has a hardness of about 2½.)

b. Toughness.

Toughness is often confused with hardness or believed to be the same quality however it is not. This factor is defined as the resistance to breaking, chipping or cracking. It is a function of a gemstone’s structure and depends upon the bonding between the atoms. Some of the tougher gems commonly known as Jade are Jadeite and Nephrite.

c. Stability.

This is defined as resistance to heat and chemical attacks. Since many gems are formed under pressure and subjected to heat during their formation most are considered to be reasonably stable.

Some are harder than others, and some tougher or more stable but in most cases durability includes wearability and the most commonly found gems have all been tested to withstand daily wear of virtually all types and in all conditions.

3. Rarity:

There are different degrees of rarity. Some gems can not only be more easily found but in larger sizes and in finer qualities. Within the gem trade these differences are taken into account as it is reflected in the price for which they are obtained. Some collector’s items are located in museums around the world for everyone to see such as one of the heaviest faceted gemstones, a 22,892.5 carat golden Yellow Topaz which is in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., (U.S.A.). Others, however, are so rare in larger sizes or finer qualities that many people have often put their lives in danger to find them.

The terms "Precious" and "Semi-Precious"

These terms have often been linked with rarity, the rarer gemstones referred to as precious and those more commonly found called semi-precious. This bipartite distinction has little meaning and should not even be acceptable; among other things, several of the so called semi-precious gems can be of such fine colour and quality that they are at least as expensive weight for weight as some of

the so-called precious stones. New discoveries, new developments in synthetic gemstones and new technologies in manufacturing are changing the jewellery landscape and making it substantially more confusing for the jewellery consumer.

New discoveries, new developments in synthetic gemstones and new technologies in manufacturing are changing the jewellery landscape and making it substantially more confusing for the jewellery consumer.

Becoming a gemologist does not require a formal college degree. However, you’ll need to take some gem training classes. JDMIS offers a variety of courses that make you a professional

The Jdmis is a unique school in Asia providing Jewellery Design and Management Programs. Jdmis offers Certificate Courses leading to Diploma and Advanced Diploma in both design and management studies.